Spare a assumed for Russell Domingo. The sight of South Africa tumbling in direction of a sequence defeat would have been galling more than enough for most coaches, but on Saturday (August 5) he need to have only have turned his gaze 90 levels to the remaining for an excess cringe aspect.

Domingo has been saved in the dark about his prospective customers given that he belatedly reapplied for his position and was interviewed by a CSA panel. It is comprehended that Gibson expressed fascination in the South Africa job as a great deal as 6 months in the past and the deal is essentially wrapped up. Domingo is a good gentleman who will no question want him properly, and who may perhaps but provide below him as mentor of South Africa A or at the academy.

He will check out with fascination to see what Gibson can make of a team that will depart England on Wednesday with a lot more inquiries than it experienced upon arrival. When Gary Kirsten signed off in 2013, leaving Domingo to deal with the impending departures of Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith, Dale Steyn and AB de Villiers, it was what rugby players explain as a ‘hospital pass’. Even though the Proteas appreciated a revival in the year leading up to this sequence, health care support will be required in the future.

South Africa have experienced some misfortune in excess of the four Tests, what with critical staff getting absent thanks to injuries, ailment and relatives issues. They have also shed three of the four tosses and experienced to bat through all the toughest durations, weather-wise, through the vital 3rd Take a look at.

But the the vast majority of problems have been of their own building. The dropped catches that plagued their general performance on the opening working day at Lord’s ended up however that includes on the next working day of the fourth Take a look at. England’s tail ended up however getting permitted to include far too several runs, and switch the class of the match, as Jonny Bairstow assisted himself to what appeared like absolutely free runs.

With eight adult males stationed on the boundary to stop Bairstow from hitting fours and getting twos, he however managed seven fours and five twos. Some of that was good batting, but it was facilitated by South Africa getting a backward stage.

When it came time to bat, five of the major 6 handed 20, but none received to fifty. Finding in and finding out has been a characteristic of the sequence for South Africa’s batsmen, who have only reached 80 three periods and only absent to three figures the moment. Problems at all four venues have saved bowlers in the recreation throughout but those numbers recommend that South Africa have a team of batsmen that are not up to the rigours of Take a look at cricket. Performances in New Zealand, when they also managed a solitary century in three Tests, validate that the England sequence is not an outlier.

In an energy to plug the gaps, the batting buy has been shuffled often. On Saturday, Temba Bavuma grew to become South Africa’s 3rd No. 4 of the sequence, adhering to in the footsteps of JP Duminy and Quinton de Kock. It was affirmation that South Africa are not just not sure of their best team, but also the best buy in which to put them. “It does say that you’re however wanting for the right mix,” admitted Hashim Amla. “We’ve normally felt that Temba is 1 of the guys for the future, and with a lot more time and duty he will thrive in it.”

Bavuma surely seems to have a vivid future. Theunis de Bruyn may possibly far too – his domestic report is extraordinary and he has not appeared overawed in England even if the scores have not occur. Dean Elgar will be all around for a whilst but. So will Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada and Duanne Olivier. But what about Amla, Faf du Plessis, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel? Just as Gibson tries to fill the holes remaining by the legends that Domingo waved goodbye to, he may possibly come across the sand shifting beneath his feet.

“It is really enjoyable to perform with this team of players for the reason that we are by no implies the completed write-up,” Domingo mentioned soon after the Oval defeat. “If you ended up rocking up with Smith, Kallis, Steyn, Morkel, Philander, de Villiers, it likely will get a lot easier. But in this article your perform is lower out. You’ve got received to juggle and sit all around and try and come across the right harmony. Which is normally enjoyable and difficult and which is why you mentor I suppose, to get by way of those kind of durations.”

It was a obstacle that Domingo mentioned he required to keep on, but its difficulty was designed distinct all over again on Saturday. As he watched on from the team balcony, Domingo may possibly have spared a assumed for his successor.